B. White
Senior Member
I usually prefer to smoke chickens to turkey and do so with no real preparation. They always come out good. I have smoked turkey breast and it was ok, just not the same taste as smoked chicken hot off the grill.
I have brined stuff and not brined it and never could tell much difference. I had a turkey breast to and decided to smoke it and try a brine again. I ran across some mixes online adding tender quick. I checked and I had a bag and it had brine instructions on it I had never noticed. I went straight tender quick and water for about 4 hours and it was the best and juiciest turkey breast I remember eating. I had some type of chicken grillin spice in the cabinet and sprinkled it on, but nothing else and not the usual rub.
I usually smoke poultry at a higher temp, but I was using the new akorn to see how it held temp compared to the old one. I set it on 1 and 1 at 225 and it never went higher than 259. I expected this to take 2.5-3 hours, but it was still 10 degrees shy after 4+, so I wrapped it in foil and stuck it in the oven a little while at 350. I done got hungry and couldn't wait on the charcoal to heat back up.
I ordered a few more bags from walmart while it is a good bit less than the last time I bought it. I need to cure on pork belly anyway, but never had heard about it being good for brining turkey. I will definitely do it again. It made a mean sandwich for lunch with some homemade mayo.
I have brined stuff and not brined it and never could tell much difference. I had a turkey breast to and decided to smoke it and try a brine again. I ran across some mixes online adding tender quick. I checked and I had a bag and it had brine instructions on it I had never noticed. I went straight tender quick and water for about 4 hours and it was the best and juiciest turkey breast I remember eating. I had some type of chicken grillin spice in the cabinet and sprinkled it on, but nothing else and not the usual rub.
I usually smoke poultry at a higher temp, but I was using the new akorn to see how it held temp compared to the old one. I set it on 1 and 1 at 225 and it never went higher than 259. I expected this to take 2.5-3 hours, but it was still 10 degrees shy after 4+, so I wrapped it in foil and stuck it in the oven a little while at 350. I done got hungry and couldn't wait on the charcoal to heat back up.
I ordered a few more bags from walmart while it is a good bit less than the last time I bought it. I need to cure on pork belly anyway, but never had heard about it being good for brining turkey. I will definitely do it again. It made a mean sandwich for lunch with some homemade mayo.
